The door flew inwards. Models scattered. I managed to have the presence of mind to join in the retreat to the back of the room rather than draw attention to myself.

Three figures were silhouetted against it. I couldn’t tell whether the center one was male or female. He, she, it, somehow seemed to repel such definitions.
They rippled with power. Power that was coming through them…it wasn’t the same as with those kids, not at all. This was something else.

This was demonic possession. Perhaps not literally a demon, but… The figure lifted a hand and the table by the door flew across the room, narrowly missing a cowering cameraman.

I wasn’t sure where my “friend” had gone. Had this been his intent? To lead the creature here so I had to deal with it?

If it was a demon, I couldn’t banish it without its name. If it was something else, though? I wished I had my sword. Or my gun. Or that my father was there.

Having none of those things, I moved towards the door, hoping to be ignored in the screaming and running. The two figures flanking the central one had guns, and the same light in their eyes.

Minions. And then somebody had a gun, pointed it at them. I knocked them to one side instinctively, made it look like an accident. Whoever was under the possession was innocent. If I could avoid killing them, I would.

“Be careful!”

“Let me deal with this.” Blowing my cover? I also wasn’t dressed for this – I was wearing a long and fairly tight sweater dress. Not the kind of outfit you wanted to fight in. Not the kind of outfit you could fight in, realistically, but it was what I had on.

If I tore it, I’d be in trouble.

The red eyes scanned the room. Now I could see that the occupied body was that of a woman, but the voice sounded more deeply masculine.

The voice was of the occupying entity. “Who are you?” I demanded.

The red eyes turned to rest on me. “Stay out of my way.”

“I can’t do that. These people are under my protection.” It sounded more dramatic in words than in tone. My voice sounded weak in comparison.

“Then I’ll just have to toss you to one side.”

Why was he not threatening to kill me? Because he couldn’t? Because he didn’t dare? I settled on that pronoun for now.

And I could take advantage of that. I charged forward, bent on knocking the entity flying. I knew I could avoid killing the host.

But I might not be able to avoid beating her up some.